To Save the Planet, Use Your Voice: Today, Pope Francis Gave a Copy of His Climate Change Book to President Trump

One way to think about “To Save the Planet, Use Your Voice” is for us to simply look, in daily conversation or social settings, for opportunities to influence the people around us… be resourceful and courteous, but gently persistent.

Today, Pope Francis did this during U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s state visit to the Vatican.

Trump, according to this account from the New York Times, received the Pope’s book and other writings on peace graciously, promising to read them. In return, he presented the Pope with a collection of works by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, and the two discussed the need to work for peace in the world.

The environmental community welcomed his June 15, 2015 release of “Laudato Si” as tying together positions by most of the world’s major faiths, which have each formed and preached similar climate change positions of their own in recent years.

However, with the release this week of Trump’s proposed U.S. budget cutting environmental and social justice spending the most steeply of any recent presidency, it is an open question whether the Pope’s personal gift or advocacy from others in the faith community will soften harsh Administration stances.

3) To save the planet, USE YOUR VOICE and take advocacy seriously! Never miss a vote and never, ever stop influencing your government and all businesses locally, at the state level, and at the national level.

And in all cases and at all times, cast aside the learned-helplessness that infects so much of modern life… the time is now for climate change solutions. No one else is going to do your part for you… never give up.